Best Litter Option for STINKY poops?

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Slapdash

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2009
Messages
501
Location
Massachusetts
So I feel like I've tried everything and don't know where to go from there. I've always had success with yesterdays news in the litter boxes of my six guys and girls but ever since I took in two foster girls I can't find anything that will work for them. I haven't figured out who yet but one of them has TERRIBLY smelly poops! :? And I mean REALLY bad lol Has anyone ever experienced this before? They've been with us for a couple months now so I know it's not their diet. I've tried using different litters available at my local pet shop but nothing tackles their odor. I have to completely change their two litter boxes everyday and they're in a cage with just one another. I only have to change my other six's litter boxes every other day at which point it doesn't even smell bad and there's six of them! Any advice would be greatly appreciated... what litters have worked well for you or has anyone had any experiences like this? Could there be a reason behind one of them being so smelly? Thanks!
 
Any way you could separate, one at a time, each rat from the others for a few hours until you can figure out whose poop smells so bad? Usually Yesterday's News does the trick. Sometimes poop smells bad if they drop it outside of the litter box, but it shouldn't smell bad for long even then. The smelly one might need a vet visit.
 
Have you tried giving them probiotics? It could be just a case of some digestive imbalance and that may be an easy way to solve it.
 
As in yogurt? Is there a certain type I should try? They've had yogurt every couple of weeks since they've been here but not often?
 
There's probiotic yogurt, there are also non-dairy based acibifidus (no idea of the spelling) capsules you can break open, Bio-K (my vet recommended the non-dairy kind available at some supermarkets or health food stores here, it's a bit pricey - they also make capsules), or Bene-Bac (I get mine from MTL Crtitters because it's cheaper than at my vet's.) I used to use yogurt almost exclusively, but some of my current rats seem to be more lactose intolerant that previous ones, so I use Bene-Bac or Bio-K when I need it.
 
My first adopted rat had smelly poops for the first few weeks I had him. Maybe up to a month and a half. I believe it was stress related, between the move and being handled for the first time, it probably upset his tummy. Are they used to being handled?
Once my boy got used to being handled and whatnot, the smell improved. Now he only has smelly poos if he's startled while I'm holding him.
 
There's Mews Print or something like that which is exactly like Yesterday's News but it has baking soda in it. Maybe it might work better?
 
jorats said:
There's Mews Print or something like that which is exactly like Yesterday's News but it has baking soda in it. Maybe it might work better?
Click to expand...

I think Mewsprint is a Pet Valu private label brand and I don't think there are Pet Valus in the US.
 
jorats said:
There's Mews Print or something like that which is exactly like Yesterday's News but it has baking soda in it. Maybe it might work better?
Click to expand...

Wow thanks for all the great suggestions! I'm going to try the probiotics stuff and see if that helps. They both seem very healthy and have been here since June so I don't think it's stress. Also, they're both pretty good with being handled and have settled in well :) I'm going to keep an eye on them and try to figure out who it is with the smelly poops. If the pro biotics don't help I'll set up a vet appointment just for a check up.

Also, I found the mews print online but haven't seen it in any pet shops in my area so this might be a stupid question but would it be safe to mix in a little bit of baking soda to the yesterdays news? I can order the mews print but if I can save on having it shipped every month that would be much better? Thanks again everyone for your advice! :joy:
 
I think it's acidophillus. It's wonderful stuff. I just open the capsule, but it in a bag and give a pinch everyday in some baby cereal.
 
Ohh some information I can use :dance: My new boys Luke and Chase have smelly poops. Im going to get the yogurt. Somehow I thought it was because a change of diet? Im not even sure what they ate before. They are getting HT blocks and vegs fruits and some protein 2 or 3 times a week. Could it be diet?
 

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